Generally, in electrical circuits used in automobiles, a power supply side and an electrical load side are connected via an automobile connector assembly consisting of male terminal connectors and female terminal connectors that mate with each other. In recent years, 42 V high-voltage automobiles have been developed, which mount a motor-generator that is advantageous for fuel economy. In these high-voltage automobiles, the voltage is three times that used in current vehicle power supplies (14 V). As a result, there is a high probability of short-circuiting and arc discharge during line assembly and servicing. Accordingly, countermeasures against such problems are indispensable from the standpoint of safety and fire prevention.
One example of an automobile connector assembly that prevents short-circuiting and are discharge during line assembly and servicing is shown in FIGS. 16A–16C (see JP 2003-95037A). FIG. 16A shows an automobile electrical circuit 101 comprising a power supply 102 that supplies a specified power supply voltage (42 V), an electrical load 108 that is operated by the power supply 102, and an automobile connector assembly 104 that connects the power supply 102 and the electrical load 108. A fuse 103 that prevents the flow of an overcurrent is connected between the power supply 102 and the automobile connector assembly 104. A switch 107 that drives the electrical load 108 is connected between the automobile connector assembly 104 and the electrical load 108.
FIG. 1 shows an electrical circuit 1 for an automobile comprising a power supply 2 that supplies a specified power supply voltage (42 V), an electrical load 8 that is operated by the power supply 2, and an automobile connector assembly 4 that connects the power supply 2 and the electrical load 8. The automobile connector assembly 4 is constructed from a male terminal connector 5 that is disposed on a side of the power supply 2 and a female terminal connector 6 that is disposed on a side of the electrical load 8. The male terminal connector 5 and the female terminal connector 6 are formed to mate with each other. A fuse 3, which prevents the flow of an overcurrent, is connected between the power supply 2 and the automobile connector assembly 4. A switch 7, which drives the electrical load 8, is connected between the automobile connector assembly 4 and the electrical load 8.
The automobile connector assembly 104 is constructed from a female terminal connector 105 disposed on a side of the power supply 102, and a male terminal connector 106 disposed on a side of the electrical load 108. As shown in FIG. 16B, the female terminal connector 105 is constructed from an insulating housing 105a that has a plurality of terminal accommodating openings 105b and a plurality of female terminals (not shown) that are accommodated inside the respective terminal accommodating openings 105b. The respective female terminals (not shown) are connected to respective lines on the side of the power supply 102.
A shown in FIG. 16C, the male terminal connector 106 is constructed from an insulating housing 106a that has a mating recessed member 106b with which the female terminal connector 105 mates and a plurality of male terminals 106c that are press-fitted to the housing 106a. The respective male terminals 106c are connected to respective lines on the side of the electrical load 108 and are arranged so that the male terminals 106c are received in and make contact with the female terminals (not shown) when the female terminal connector 105 is caused to mate with the male terminal connector 106.
In the automobile connector assembly 104 shown in FIGS. 16A–16C, because the female terminal connector 105 is disposed on the side of the power supply 102, the male terminal connector 106 is disposed on the side of the electrical load 108, the female terminal connector 105 is connected to the side to which the power supply voltage is applied, and the female terminals (not shown) are accommodated inside the relatively small terminal accommodating openings 105b in the female terminal connector 105, short-circuiting and arc discharge can be prevented during line assembly and servicing. As a result, safety and fire prevention can be improved.
Several problems have been encountered, however, in the automobile connector assembly 104 shown in FIGS. 16A–16C. Specifically, in the female terminal connector 105, it is necessary to form walls between the mutually adjacent terminal accommodating openings 105b to prevent short-circuiting and arc discharge between the adjacent female terminals (not shown). The walls must have a thickness capable of preventing short-circuiting and arc discharge between the adjacent female terminals (not shown). This is particularly important where a power supply voltage of 42 V is used in a high-voltage automobile, in order to prevent short-circuiting and arc discharge between the adjacent female terminals of the female terminal connector 105 disposed on the side of the power supply 102. The size of the female terminal connector 105 therefore must be increased to accommodate the walls.